Educating Our Most Vulnerable Students

Taking the “Special” Out Of Special Education

The reaction to society’s stigmatization of special education services should not be to keep students from getting the help that they need.

“One of the things that we have not talked about as a system is the harmful effect of special education.”

- Marco Tolj, LAUSD Division of Special Education

Marco Tolj is the Director of the LAUSD’s Division of special education and is, therefore, responsible for ensuring that these services help students to reach their full potential. If any part of these programs is “harmful,” then it is the responsibility of Tolj and his team to make the needed adjustments so that the system performs better. This solution should never involve denying services to students who are in need.

As an example of how special education might be harmful, Tolj mentioned students who have one on one aides to assist them during the school day. He maintained that some of these students “felt that they were…